Monthly Archives: March 2014

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Citizenship = Growth


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Citizenship For Unauthorized Immigrants Helps Everyone

We know by now about the huge number of economic benefits associated with comprehensive immigration reform — and that Congressional inaction has carried a heavy cost. House Republicans have stalled the legislation passed by the Senate, in part due to their opposition to a pathway to citizenship for unauthorized immigrants.  But as our colleagues at the Center for American Progress show in a new infographic, allowing unauthorized immigrants to become citizens brings a whole host of economic benefits for all Americans.  Take a look:

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BOTTOM LINE: The economic benefits of including a pathway to citizenship in immigration reform are overwhelming. A majority of Americans support allowing undocumented immigrants to apply for citizenship. It’s time for House Republicans to stop stalling and do their job.

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Stop palm oil slavery … Ashley Schaeffer, Rainforest Action Network

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The palm oil plantations that Cargill has purchased from—and distributed to America’s household food brands—are rife with human rights violations, including slavery.

Want to remove this shocking reality from your pantry? Start by letting Cargill know that slave labor is unacceptable.

www.ran.org

In Java last year, I interviewed two men with identical stories of being lured away from their hometowns with the promise of well paid work by Cargill supplier Kuala Lumpur Kepong (KLK).

The two were exposed to toxic chemicals in the palm oil fields with no protection and kept under lock and key at night by armed security. Each finally escaped these horrendous slave labor conditions without ever being paid.

I need your help to convince Cargill to stop filling America’s food supply with palm oil that causes environmental and human rights violations like these.

www.ran.org

You’ve already been a massive help in putting Cargill on the path to protecting Indonesia’s rainforests. Just last week, Cargill announced it will finally be offering North American customers palm oil certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). Just two years ago Cargill claimed this was impossible. Your pressure made it happen. Thank you.

We’ve clearly got a few more steps to go to ensure Cargill’s on the right side of rainforests, and I’m asking you to take those steps by my side.

www.ran.org

Are you with me?

For the forests,
Ashley Schaeffer
Rainforest Agribusiness Campaigner
Twitter: @probwithpalmoil

Black History

the Senate ~~ CONGRESS 3/12 ~~ the House


Voting_Laws_Roundup_2014

capitolsnowclosed

The Senate stands adjourned until 9:30am on Wednesday, March 12.

Following any Leader remarks, there will be a period of morning business until 10:30am, with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each. The Majority will control the first half and the Republicans will control the final half. At 10:30am, the Senate will proceed to a series of up to 6 roll call votes on confirmation of the following nominations:

 –        Executive Calendar #563, Carolyn B. McHugh, of Utah, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Tenth Circuit;

–        Executive Calendar #577, Matthew Frederick Leitman, of Michigan, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan;

–        Executive Calendar #578, Judith Ellen Levy, of Michigan, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan;

–        Executive Calendar #579, Laurie J. Michelson, of Michigan, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan;

–        Executive Calendar #580, Linda Vivienne Parker, of Michigan, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan; and

–        Executive Calendar #512, Sarah Bloom Raskin, of Maryland, to be Deputy Secretary of the Treasury.

Upon disposition of the Raskin nomination, the Senate will begin consideration of S.1086, Child Care and Development Block Grant Reauthorization bill.

10:32am, the Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #563, Carolyn B. McHugh, of Utah, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Tenth Circuit;

Confirmed: 98-0

10:59am The Senate began a 10 minute roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #577, Matthew Frederick Leitman, of Michigan, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan

Confirmed: 98-0

11:15am, the Senate began a 10 minute roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #578, Judith Ellen Levy, of Michigan, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan

Confirmed: 97-0

11:34am the Senate began a 10-minute roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #579, Laurie J. Michelson, of Michigan, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan

Confirmed: 98-0

11:52am the Senate began a 10-minute roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #580, Linda Vivienne Parker, of Michigan, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan.

Confirmed: 60-37

Executive Calendar #512, Sarah Bloom Raskin, of Maryland, to be Deputy Secretary of the Treasury was confirmed by a voice vote.

floor updates

The following amendments are pending to S.1086, the Child Care and Development Block Grant Reauthorization bill:

The following amendments have been considered to S.1086:

  • Enzi amendment #2812 (review of early learning and care programs); Agreed to: 98-0
  • Franken amendment #2822 (Indian tribes and tribal organizations; Agreed to: 93-6
  • At 2:30pm, the Senate will proceed to a series of up to 2 roll call votes in relation to the following amendments:-          Enzi #2812 (review of early learning and care programs); and-          Franken #2822 (Indian tribes and tribal organizations).No amendments are in order to the amendments prior to the vote. The Second vote will be a 10 minute vote. We could also have 1-2 votes in the 5pm range.
  • 2:30pm The Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on the Enzi amendment #2812 (review of early learning and care programs)Agreed To: 98-0
  • 2:57pm The Senate began a 10 minute roll call vote on Franken #2822 (Indian tribes and tribal organizations);Agreed To: 93-6
  • floor updates
  • Senator Harkin called up the following amendments to the Child Care and Development Block Grant legislation:-          Bennet-Isakson #2824 (use of combined funding)-          Boxer-Burr #2809 (background checks)At 5:15pm, the Senate will proceed to a series of votes in relation to the following items in the order listed:

    –          Landrieu #2818 (child care disaster plan) (roll call vote);

    –          Landrieu-Grassley amendment #2813 (foster care-immunizations);

    –          Landrieu #2814 (foster care-coordination);

    –          Bennet-Isakson #2824 (use of combined funding);

    –          Confirmation of Exec. Cal. #682, Heather MacDougall, of FL, to be Member of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission;

    –          Confirmation of Exec. Cal. #617, France Cordova, of NM, to be Director of the National Science Foundation;

    –          Confirmation of Exec. Cal. #614, James Shelton, IL, to be Deputy Secretary of Education; and

    –          Confirmation of Exec. Cal. #545, Bruce Heyman, of IL, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Canada

    No second degree amendments are in order prior to the votes on the amendments. We expect a roll call vote on Landrieu #2818 and the rest of the amendments and nominations will be agreed to by voice votes.

  • WRAP  UP
  • Roll Call Votes1)     Confirmation of Executive Calendar #563, Carolyn B. McHugh, of Utah, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Tenth Circuit; Confirmed: 98-02)     Confirmation of Executive Calendar #577, Matthew Frederick Leitman, of Michigan, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan; Confirmed: 98-0

    3)     Confirmation of Executive Calendar #578, Judith Ellen Levy, of Michigan, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan; Confirmed: 97-0

    4)     Confirmation of Executive Calendar #579, Laurie J. Michelson, of Michigan, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan; Confirmed: 98-0

    5)     Confirmation of Executive Calendar #580, Linda Vivienne Parker, of Michigan, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Michigan; Confirmed: 60-37

    6)     Enzi amendment #2812 (review of early learning and care programs) to S.1086, the Child Care and Development Block Grant Reauthorization Act; Agreed to: 98-0

    7)     Franken amendment #2822 (Indian tribes and tribal organizations); Agreed to: 93-6

    8)     Landrieu amendment #2818 (child care disaster plan); Agreed to: 98-0

    Additional Legislative Items

    Passed S.611, A bill to make a technical amendment to the T’uf Shur Bien Preservation Trust Area Act, and for other purposes with a committee-reported substitute amendment.

    Adopted S.Res.365, a resolution deploring the violent repression of peaceful demonstrators in Venezuela, calling for full accountability for human rights violations taking place in Venezuela, and supporting the right of the Venezuelan people to the free and peaceful exercise of representative democracy.

    Began the Rule 14 process of S.2122, the Responsible Medicare SGR Repeal and Beneficiary Improvement Act (Hatch) in order to place the bill on the Legislative Calendar.

    Completed the Rule 14 process to place the following bills on the Legislative Calendar of Business:

    –        S.2110, Medicare SGR Repeal and Beneficiary Access Improvement Act of 2014.

    –        H.R.4152, to provide for the costs of loan guarantees for Ukraine.

    Additional Executive Items

    Confirmed the following by voice vote:

    –        Executive Calendar #512, Sarah Bloom Raskin, of Maryland, to be Deputy Secretary of the Treasury

    –        Executive Calendar #682, Heather MacDougall, of FL, to be Member of the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission

    –        Executive Calendar #617, France Cordova, of NM, to be Director of the National Science Foundation

    –        Executive Calendar. #614, James Shelton, IL, to be Deputy Secretary of Education

    –        Executive Calendar #545, Bruce Heyman, of IL, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Canada

==========================================

Last Floor Action:
4:49:34 P.M. -H.R. 4138
On motion to
recommit with instructions Roll Call 123 – Recorded vote pending.

Last Floor Action: 3/11
10:30:48 A.M. – The Speaker announced
that the House do now recess.

The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 P.M. today.

========================================

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Getting Covered


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Uninsured Rate Hits Lowest Level Since 2009

How is the Affordable Care Act doing? One way to judge is by looking at one of its primary goals: providing uninsured Americans access to affordable health coverage. And on this measure, it is succeeding.

We know that over 4 million people have enrolled in private coverage under the law. And according to a survey by Gallup released today, the rate of uninsured Americans has now reached its lowest level since 2009:

uninsuredCREDIT: GALLUP

As the chart above shows, the uninsured rate was 17.1 percent at the end of 2013, down from a peak of 18 percent. Two months into 2014, it now sits at 15.9 percent–the lowest level since the first quarter of 2009. That decrease may not look like much, but it represents millions of people getting health insurance who previously weren’t covered. The decrease also represents a marked departure from the trend of rising levels of uninsured over the last several years.

This good news only gets better by taking a closer look at the numbers. “The uninsured rate for almost every major demographic group has dropped in 2014 so far,” wrote Gallup researchers. And the groups who have seen the sharpest decreases in uninsured rates so far this year have been among those most at risk from lacking insurance coverage — low-income and black Americans. In fact, in the first two months of 2014, the percentage of uninsured African Americans has reduced from 20.9 percent to 18.3 percent, a 2.6-point drop. And among those earning under $36,000 per year, the rate of uninsured went from 30.7 percent to 27.9 percent.

Some people have expressed concern that the new law is not reaching the uninsured quickly enough, but today’s survey and other research should ease those fears. Besides, it makes sense that the uninsured wouldn’t necessarily sign up for insurance coverage right away, according to Larry Levitt, vice president at the Kaiser Family Foundation:

“There’s every reason to believe that early enrollment skewed towards the already insured and that the uninsured will sign up later. People who were insured and had their old non-compliant policies cancelled were no doubt first in line in the new marketplaces, along with some people with pre-existing conditions who were locked out of the market before… The uninsured, particularly those who are young and healthy, are more likely to enroll as the final deadline approaches this month.”

BOTTOM LINE: The evidence shows that the Affordable Care Act is working and that uninsured Americans are signing up for health care. The uninsured rate is at the lowest it has been in years, and more and more of the uninsured have been getting covered. Outreach remains critical with just 22 days until open enrollment ends, but this is good news for those of us who think health care should be accessible for all Americans.